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The Effect of the Color Red on Hirability and Attractiveness Julia F The Effect of the Color Red on Hirability and Attractiveness Julia F. Hammett, Emily J. Issler, and Holly E. Bashore San Diego State University ABSTRACT. The present study investigated the effect of the color red on hirability and character attractiveness. Initial data were collected from 106 voluntary participants recruited from a Southwestern American university campus. Participants read a personality description, printed on either red or white paper, of either a male or female target, and completed a questionnaire rating the target’s hirability and character attractiveness. The first hypothesis, that people would rate the target as less hirable if the personality description was printed on red paper rather than on white paper, was mostly supported. The second hypothesis, that people would rate the target as more attractive if the personality description was printed on red paper rather than on white paper, was partially supported. The third hypothesis, that this effect would only be true when rating opposite-sex targets, was not clearly supported. The results indicate that the effects of the color red depend on the context in which the color is viewed. A red stimulus may increase undesirable behaviors and attributes in performance-based contexts that foster competitiveness, such as contexts in which a person’s hirability is evaluated, but may increase desirable behaviors and attributes in relational contexts, in which a person’s attractiveness is evaluated. olors are present everywhere in our such as physical attractiveness (e.g., Elliot & Niesta, environment. Because symbolic and 2008; Elliot et al., 2010). Thus, it seems that the Caesthetic meanings have been attached effect of a red stimulus depends on the context to certain colors throughout history and across of the task and the socio-cultural meaning of the cultures, colors influence our perception of the color red regarding this context. In the present world around us (Smeesters & Liu, 2011). One study, we will examine the effect of the color red color that has been shown to influence humans in two different contexts, namely evaluations of in various ways is the color red. Red has an impact a person’s hirability, which includes predictions on our affect (Elliott & Niesta, 2008), cognition of a person’s overall qualifications and expected (Tanaka & Tokuno, 2011), and behavior (Elliot job performance (Dunn, Mount, Barrick, & Ones, & Aarts, 2011). Some studies have yielded results 1995), and character attractiveness, which includes indicating a negative effect of red, in that red perceived desirability of a person based on this increases undesirable behaviors and attributes, person’s nonphysical attributes, such as character such as aggression (e.g. Elliot, Moller, Friedman, traits, attitudes, and behavior patterns (Kniffin & SPRING 2014 Maier, & Meinhardt, 2007; Gnambs, Appel, & Wilson, 2004). Batinic, 2010); however, other studies have yielded PSI CHI Several studies have yielded findings indicating JOURNAL OF results indicating a positive effect of red, in that PSYCHOLOGICAL red increases desirable behaviors and attributes, Faculty mentor: Richard Graf, PhD RESEARCH 20 COPYRIGHT 2014 BY PSI CHI, THE INTERNATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY IN PSYCHOLOGY (VOL. 19, NO. 1/ISSN 2164-8204) Hammett, Issler, and Bashore | The Effect of the Color Red a negative effect of red stimuli on performance, on human affect, behavior, and cognition may be in which red increased undesirable behaviors and positive in that red increased desirable behaviors attributes. Elliot et al. (2007) found that having a and attributes. Elliot and Niesta (2008) found that number written in red ink, as opposed to green or seeing a woman’s photograph placed on a red back- black ink, in the corner of a test booklet impaired ground increased men’s physical attractiveness and performance on anagram and numeric tests. sexual desirability ratings of the target. Similarly, Additionally, this color manipulation resulted in women perceived men’s physical attractiveness to avoidance motivation as indicated by participants’ be higher when men’s pictures were placed on a tendency to choose easier rather than more dif- red background and when they wore red clothing ficult tasks. Similarly, Gnambs et al. (2010) found (Elliot et al., 2010). The color red did not have an that a red (versus green) progress bar harmed effect on men’s and women’s physical attractiveness performance in web-based tests of general knowl- ratings when viewing photographs of their own sex. edge. Other studies support the concept that the Further support for the effect of red on human color red activates avoidance motivation (Tanaka physical attraction comes from Niesta Kayser, Elliot, & Tokuno, 2011) and that reading the word and Feltman (2010), who showed that men chose undermines intellectual performance (Lichtenfeld, to ask a conversation partner in a red shirt more Maier, Elliot, & Pekrun, 2009). Thus, the color intimate questions and also to sit closer to her. red seems to enhance undesirable behaviors in Thus, the color red seems to enhance desirable situations in which performance is measured. behaviors in situations in which partners of the Different mechanisms have been proposed other sex are being evaluated. to account for these negative effects of the color The impact of the color red on human physical red. Elliot et al. (2007) proposed that viewing the attractiveness can be explained, at least partially, color red results in decreased performance on by evolutionary, biological, and socio-cultural academic tasks and that avoidance of challenges factors. Throughout the animal kingdom, the red is due to learned associations. Red is often used in coloration of several species’ body parts provides the educational system to indicate failure, because evidence for evolutionary ingrained preferences teachers may use red ink to correct their students’ that may explain why humans are attracted to mistakes (Rutchick, Slepian, & Ferris, 2010). The potential partners of the other sex who display color red is further used as an indicator of danger the color red. For example, Hill (1990) found and as a warning signal (e.g., red lights, fire alarms, that female house finches preferred colorful warning signs). Given the repeated pairing of mates, namely those with bright red plumage red with failure, danger, and avoidance, it is not coloration. Zebra finches showed similar prefer- surprising that seeing a red stimulus may impair ences regarding their mates’ red bill color (Burley performance. In conclusion, it seems that a red & Coopersmith, 1987). Waitt, Gerald, Little, and stimulus will have a negative impact on human Kraiselburd (2006) found that rhesus macaques behavior in performance contexts that foster gazed significantly longer at reddened versions competitiveness. of female hindquarters. These behavior patterns Perceptions of an individual’s hirability occur suggest a connection between the color red and in performance-based situations, such as the ones intersexual selection. Pink-to-red anogenital and previously described, in that hirability is based facial coloration does not only occur in animals, but on people’s predictions of an applicant’s future human female skin color also varies with reproduc- performance on the job. In addition, employment tive state (Waitt et al., 2006). Increased reddening application settings, in which a person’s hirability of a woman’s face during ovulation serves as an is assessed, may foster feelings of competition, indicator of fertility. It is evolutionarily adaptive because several applicants often compete for a for a man to be more attracted to a woman during single position (Duckett, 2000). This focus on this phase of her reproductive cycle. performance and competition may increase nega- Furthermore, the effect of red on human tive emotions. Thus, the color red should have a behavior may be due to socio-cultural experiences. negative effect on people’s perceptions of a job The color red is frequently used as a symbol of applicant’s hirability in that it should lead people love, romance, and fertility (e.g., red hearts on SPRING 2014 to evaluate an applicant’s overall qualifications and Valentine’s Day cards). This symbolic meaning of PSI CHI expected job performance more negatively. the color red has existed throughout history in JOURNAL OF Other studies have shown that the effect of red numerous cultures and has been used in folklore PSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCH COPYRIGHT 2014 BY PSI CHI, THE INTERNATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY IN PSYCHOLOGY (VOL. 19, NO. 1/ISSN 2164-8204) 21 The Effect of the Color Red | Hammett, Issler, and Bashore and rituals. For example, Japanese brides wear the more attractive if they read the personality descrip- colors white and red at their weddings (Hutchings, tion of a potential partner printed on red paper 2004). Thus, a red stimulus may have a positive rather than on white paper. Third, we hypothesized effect on human affect in that it enhances desirable that red would only increase attractiveness ratings attributes, such as physical attractiveness, by func- of men reading about women and of women read- tioning as a sexual symbol in contexts that include ing about men. the evaluation of individuals of the other sex. The concept of human attractiveness, however, Method is not limited to physical aspects, but can also Overview include a person’s character traits, attitudes, and The present study used existing data initially col- behavior patterns. According to Kniffin and Wilson lected for a class project, in which men and women (2004), people are drawn to potential partners had been asked to read a personality description because of their overall fitness value, which consists of either a male or female target, printed on either of physical as well as nonphysical factors. These red or white paper. In addition, participants were nonphysical factors may enhance the perceived asked to rate the target’s hirability and attractive- physical attractiveness of a person and are therefore ness. In the present study, the data were analyzed an important component of what makes a person to test our hypotheses that (a) targets described on appear attractive.
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